


this time it’s real

by reneewalkerr



Category: Dead Poets Society (1989)
Genre: Boys In Love, Fake Proposal, Love Confessions, M/M, Marriage Proposal, valentines day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 00:13:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29427243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reneewalkerr/pseuds/reneewalkerr
Summary: Neil saves Todd from the embarrassment of being stood up on valentine’s day of all days. But is it just because he’s a good friends? or is there a deeper reasoning behind it.
Relationships: Charlie Dalton/Knox Overstreet, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Todd Anderson/Neil Perry
Comments: 3
Kudos: 33





	this time it’s real

**Author's Note:**

> HAPPY VALENTINE’s DAY!!   
> I had so much fun writing this and I really hope you enjoy it emma <3

Todd was never fond of valentine’s day. He thought it was an unnecessary holiday for card companies to shove the concept of love in his face. It had nothing to do with the fact he’d never been in a proper relationship. Totally not. 

He has no idea why he agreed to this silly date with some random boy in his english lit class in the first place, he was just too nervous to say no. Now he’s sitting at an empty table in a posh restaurant checking his watch to see that it’s already 8.30 when his date was meant to be meeting him at 8. He’s been stood up, of course he has. Todd regretted saying yes to the prospect of this date the minute he did and now he just looks pathetic. 

Neil always loved valentine’s day, it was the hopeless romantic in him. He loved cheesy romance films, crappy cards and the idea of being in love with someone. Ironically he hasn’t been in a proper relationship in years but he’s still holding out hope he’ll find the one soon. 

He had just been on a date with a girl from his drama class and he thought it went alright. There were a few awkward silences but he wasn’t completely bored to death and she was nice company. Probably won’t be going on a second date though. 

Neil wraps his scarf tighter around his neck as he walks home to his apartment in the february chill. He’s observing his surroundings- all the couples walking together, the city’s bright lights, and the soft snow that’s beginning to fall around him- when he notices a familiar figure in the italian restaurant he’s walking past. 

‘Todd?’ Neil thinks to himself as he stops walking and watches the back of his roommate, wearing the blue button down he was wearing just as Neil left for his own date. 

Todd was checking his watch again as a waitress with kind, but pitiful eyes, comes towards his table asking him if he’s ready to order yet. He lets out a sigh, about to tell her he was just leaving, when a voice he instantly recognises calls out, “Todd! I’m so sorry I’m late, rehearsal lasted way longer than I thought it would.” Neil was the last person Todd had expected to see in that restaurant tonight considering he was on his own date. “Neil?” Todd looked up at his roommate baffled. The waitress smiled sweetly between them before handing Neil a menu and taking her leave. “What are you doing here?”

“I was passing by and I saw you here on your own and I know your date was meant to be over a half hour ago. I wasn’t going to let you continue sitting here on your own.” Neil responded, opening the menu and scanning it, even though he’d already eaten. He wouldn’t mind doing it again if it meant Todd wasn’t on his own. 

Todd turned red at this and started quizzing Neil on his own date but the waitress came over and interrupted them to take their orders and bring their drinks over. Neil took a sip of his water before speaking, “It was ok, yeah. Sara’s a sweet girl but we didn’t really click y’know?” 

“You didn’t have to do this, Neil. I would've been fine on my own.” 

“I know but I wanted to! I couldn’t go home knowing you were here by yourself. You deserve to have a nice valentine’s day too Todd, even if you do despise the holiday.” Neil smirked and Todd turned pink. 

Once the waitress came to collect their dinner plates Neil leaned across the table and whispered to Todd. “I have an idea.” 

Todd didn’t like the sound of that. 

Neil got up from his seat across from Todd and knelt down beside him. 

“Jesus Christ.” Todd said aloud putting his head in his hands in embarrassment. 

“Todd George Anderson,” Neil said loudly, attracting the attention of the people surrounding them. “That’s not my middle name, Neil.” Todd whispered, “Just go with it.” Neil whispered back. 

“I have loved you for as long as I can remember,” Neil dramatically pressed his hands to his chest and Todd could feel his face getting redder and warmer as Neil continued talking. 

Neil grabbed Todd’s hands in his own and finished his silly little speech, “will you marry me?” 

Todd wanted nothing more than for the ground to swallow him up right that second. 

An older lady sitting at the table closest to Todd leaned over to him, “say yes!” 

“Yes?” It came out more as a question than an answer but he didn't think anyone noticed. 

“He said yes!” Todd had never hated Neil being a theatre major more than he did right that second. 

The whole restaurant erupted into applause and Neil dragged Todd out of his chair into a hug and kissed him on the cheek to keep up appearances. 

The lovely waitress from earlier came back over to their table with a plate of chocolate cake with ‘congratulations on your engagement’ written around it and the two boys couldn’t stop laughing for the rest of their time in the restaurant. 

They had left and were heading home just as it started snowing again. Neil used to hate the snow back in Vermont but it felt different here. Hopeful, no pressure of being the best hanging over him. 

“Thanks again for tonight,” Todd spoke softly looking down at the ground, “I’ll never forgive you for the embarrassment you inflicted upon me there though.” Todd said seriously, making Neil chuckle. “Sorry about that. Anything for a free dessert, right?” 

They walked for a bit longer before Todd spoke up again, “I would’ve preferred to spend the evening with you anyway.” 

Neil’s heart skipped a beat when Todd said this. “I would’ve preferred to spend the evening with you too, Todd” Neil turned red and then he realised. 

Shit. I’m in love with Todd. 

The minute they got home Neil ran into his bedroom to talk to Charlie. He always went to Charlie for advice, they have been friends since they were 6 after all. 

Todd turned the television on while Neil hid away in his bedroom and thought the night over, especially what was said on the way home. Todd had no idea where the confidence to say something like that came from, but then he realised. 

Shit. I’m in love with Neil. 

“Charlie, I think I like Todd. Really really like him, love even.” 

“Well no shit sherlock. You have since you first met him.” Charlie replied smugly. 

“No I haven’t,” Neil rolled his eyes even though Charlie couldn’t see him. 

“Oh yes you have. You should’ve seen the way you two acted in high school, it was sickening.”

“Ok so what if I have? What do I do about it?” 

“You could tell him.” Charlie replied, unhelpfully. 

“I don’t think I could do that. What if it makes things weird? I have to live with him!” 

“I know it won’t. He’s just as smitten with you as you are him.” 

Neil went red at the thought of Todd liking him back. 

“Don’t overthink it,” Charlie said, interrupting Neil’s thoughts. “The worst thing that could happen is he doesn’t like you back, which I can assure you he does.” 

Neil sighed, “Ok, thanks Char. How’s your valentine’s day going?” 

Charlie spent about ten minutes describing all the cute shit Knox planned for the two of them to do and it only made Neil feel more lonely, he regretted asking. 

“Good luck with Todd!” Charlie said as Neil hung up the phone, finally leaving the confines of his bedroom. 

Todd was sitting on the couch watching the television although he wasn’t paying any attention to it his thoughts were going at a million miles. ‘Do I tell him? Do I not?’ 

“Hey, Todd can I talk to you?” Neil asked. 

Todd flinched and hoped Neil didn’t notice. He hated that question. “Sure.”

“I need to tell you something because I think you deserve to know and Charlie practically bullied me into telling you,” Neil chuckled awkwardly. Charlie had not bullied him into telling Todd anything, he just needed an excuse. 

“also it’s valentine’s day so I thought ‘why not?’” 

Todd felt his eyes widen as Neil took a deep breath. “I think I’m in love with you.” 

Todd's breath hitched and his heart started pounding so heavily he thought Neil would be able to hear it himself. 

He must have been silent for a little too long as Neil spoke up again, “Oh God, I shouldn’t have said anything should I. This was a mistake, forget I said anything.” He stood up and made his way across the room to his bedroom, “I’m going to go to bed. Goodnight Todd.” 

“Neil, wait!” Todd got up and followed Neil. When Neil didn’t stop walking Todd grabbed a hold of his wrist and turned him around, pulling him into a quick kiss. Todd pulled back to look at Neil but didn’t get a very good look as Neil kissed him again, this time for a longer period of time, and wrapped his arms around Todd’s waist. 

When they were both too breathless to continue, Todd spoke. “I’m in love with you too, Neil. I think I always have been.” 

-Three years later-

Valentine’s day had rolled around yet again. It used to be Todd’s least favourite holiday but in the last few years it had become one of his favourites. He understood the point of it now, now that he had Neil. 

Ever since that night in their shitty New York apartment where they finally admitted their feelings for one another, the two of them had never been happier. They graduated from college last year and Todd was currently working an internship with the ‘New York Times’ and Neil was working small, off broadway productions around the city. 

Todd was sitting in their favourite restaurant waiting for his boyfriend to arrive. 

It was a funny comparison to valentine’s day three years ago where Todd was in a very similar situation- sitting in a restaurant waiting for his date to arrive. However, this year Todd was actually looking forward to his date. 

Neil had been in rehearsals for his latest production all day so unfortunately they couldn’t spend the day together but Todd didn’t mind. Neil was able to do what he loved and that’s all that mattered. 

Todd was awoken that very morning to a kiss on the forehead and an “I love you” whispered in his ear as Neil left early for work. Neil, being the sweetheart that he is, had made breakfast for Todd before he left and it was waiting for him when he got out of bed. He felt like the luckiest man alive. 

Todd was sitting at the table checking his phone, texting Meeks about his day and just generally catching up with each other when he felt a hand on his shoulder and a kiss on his cheek as Neil came to the table and sat across from his boyfriend. 

“I am so, so sorry I’m late Todd,” Neil was so cute when he was flustered. Todd watched fondly as the man across from him stumbled over his words trying to express how sorry he was for his tardiness. “Hey,” Todd reached across the table and took Neil’s hand in his, “it’s okay, honestly. I wasn’t waiting for that long anyway.” Neil smiled and leaned across the table to kiss him, “Happy valentine’s day.” 

“Happy valentine’s day, Neil.”

The night moved quickly as the two of them enjoyed their meals and spoke about their days; Neil telling Todd all about the play he’s rehearsing for, and Todd telling Neil all about the piece he was assigned to write about for the New York Times. 

Todd assumed they were going to leave after their main meal, neither of them had much of a sweet tooth, and was about to call the waiter to get their bill when Neil stopped him. 

“Oh, did you want to get dessert?” Todd asked but Neil shook his head. 

“Not necessarily, but we’ll probably end up getting one anyway.” Neil replied, confusing Todd completely. 

Then, Neil stood up and knelt down beside Todd and Todd felt like the whole world had stopped. 

“Neil-” 

“Nope. I know you always have a way with words but it’s my turn to talk, ok?” Todd nodded, cheeks turning pink as Neil took his hands in his own. 

“We were in a very similar position this time three years ago, that’s why I thought tonight would be the perfect night to do this even though i’ve wanted to do this for a long as I can remember,” Neil pulled a maroon coloured box out of his pocket and Todd felt like he was going to pass out. He knew the whole restaurant's attention was on them but he really didn’t care. 

“Three years ago when I asked you this question as a joke, I didn’t think I’d ever get the chance to ask you properly since, in my mind, there was no chance in a million years someone as perfect as you could ever like me back but alas, by some miracle, you did.” 

Neil opened the box and Todd felt like he was going to cry. 

“I love you, Todd. More than I thought I ever could. Everyday I fall in love with you all over again and I feel like the luckiest person on the planet to have you in my life as my best friend and maybe my fiancé?” The last part came out as a question and Todd’s cheeks hurt from smiling so much. 

“Todd Benjamin Anderson, at least I know your middle name this time,” Neil chuckled. “Will you marry me?” 

Neil was looking up at Todd with so much love and affection he thought his heart might burst. 

“Of course I’ll marry you Neil.” Before Neil even had the chance to stand up Todd surged forward and kissed his- now fiancé- before pulling him into a tight hug. 

And exactly like three years prior, a dessert was brought out to them with a similar sentiment but this time it was real. 

Todd really loved valentine’s day.


End file.
